e spirit of the affair at last, and lent his oxen, and used
his crowbar in their cause, conveying great stones to the spot. When
the bridge and the waterfall were completed, a path was to be made round
the hill, to the pine grove at the top. Then, among the pines, there
was a wonderful structure of rocks and stones, covered with mosses and
creeping plants. The Grotto, the children called it, Mr Snow called it
the Cave. A wonderful place it was, and much did they enjoy it. To be
sure, it would not hold them all at once, but the grove would, and the
grotto looked best on the outside, and much pleasure did they get out of
their labours.

The lads did not deserve all the credit of these great works. The girls
helped, not only with approving eyes and lips, but with expert hands as
well. Even Graeme grew rosy and sunburnt by being out of doors so much
on bright mornings and evenings, and if it had been always summer-time,
there might have been some danger that even Graeme would not very soon
have come back to the quiet indoor enjoyment of work and study again.

As for Janet, her home-sickness must have been left in the little brown
house behind the elms, for it never troubled her after she came up the
brae. With the undisputed possession of poultry, pigs and cows, came
back her energy and peace of mind. The first basket of eggs collected
by the children, the first churning of golden butter which she was able
to display to their admiring gaze, were worth their weight in gold as
helps to her returning cheerfulness. Not that she valued her dumb
friends for their usefulness alone, or even for the comforts they
brought to the household. She had a natural love for all dependent
creatures, and petted and provided for her favourites, till they learned
to know and love her in return. All helpless creatures seemed to come
to her naturally. A dog, which had been cruelly beaten by his master,
took refuge with her; and being fed and caressed by her hand, could
never be induced to leave her guardianship again. The very bees, at
swarming time, did not sting Janet, though they lighted in clouds on her
snowy cap and neckerchief; and the little brown sparrows came to share
with the chickens the crumbs she scattered at the door. And so, hens
and chickens, and little brown sparrows did much to win her from a
regretful remembrance of the past, and to reconcile her to what was
strange--"unco like" in her new home.

Her cows were,